Safety coverlock for book match packages and the like



May 8, 1962 T. WILL 3,033,361

SAFETY COVERLOCK FOR BOOK MATCH PACKAGES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. THEODORE WI LL ATTORNEY T. WILL May 8, 1962 SAFETY COVERLOCK FOR BOOK MATCH PACKAGES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1959 INVENTOR.

THEODORE WILL ATTOP/VEV 3,033,361 Patented May 8, 1962 3,033,361 SAFETY COVERLOCK FOR BOOK MATCH PACKAGES AND THE LIKE Theodore Will, Syosset, N.Y., assignor to Fund-Del Inc., Syosset, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 862,008 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-56) This invention concerns a safety cover and seal for books of safety matches and similar packages.

According to the invention, there is provided an enclosure for a package of book matches. The enclosure is formed from a properly folded blank of paper, metal foil, plastic material, or other suitable sheet material. The enclosure may be provided with a tab or tear strip for opening one end of the enclosure. The tear strip may be so located in association with slits or scored portions of the tapered enclosure that when the enclosure is opened there will be provided a tapered receptacle With open top for receiving the book of matches. This receptacle can be used to hold the match book in closed condition or as a cover lock and can even serve as a protective cover for the matches in the absence of the regular cover.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a removable, sealed and safety enclosure for a package of book matches;

It is a further object to provide an enclosure for a book of matches, said enclosure being provided with a tab or tear strip to facilitate opening of the enclosure.

It is still -a further object to provide an enclosure for a book of matches, said enclosure having a tear strip so located that the opened enclosure can serve as a reusable protective cover for the book of matches.

Another object is to provide a novel blank for forming an enclosure or cover for a book of matches.

It is also an object to provide an enclosure for a package of book matches that is fully sealed, weathertight, adapted to keep the match striking surface dry and fresh, and is reasonably childproof.

Still another object is to provide an enclosure for a package of book matches adapted to serve as a receptacle for surplus match packs accumulated about the home or ofiice.

It is also proposed to provide an enclosure for a package of book matches that keeps the match pack safe from likelihood of accidental ignition of the matches prior to use.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank for forming one enclosure or cover for a book of matches according to the invention, one book of matches being shown superimposed on the blank in position for enfolding thereby.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an enclosure made from the blank of FIG. 1, a book of matches being enclosed therein.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the enclosure and book of matches of FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of an enclosure, with a book of matches therein embodying a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified blank for forming a modified enclosure for a book of matches, parts being broken away.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an enclosure, with a book of matches therein, made from the blank of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the enclosure of FIG. 7, parts being torn away.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective View of the parts of the enclosure shown in FIG. 8, the top being opened and showing a mode of use of the opened enclosure.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 7 showing still another modified form of enclosure for a book of matches.

Referring in detail to FIG. 1, there is shown a blank 20 made of paper, metal foil, plastic material or any other suitable sheet material, which blank may be die cut. The blank is generally rectangular in shape and formed with a tab 24 along one long edge 23. An adhesive stripe 26 is applied on one surface along the edge 23 and its ends. A further stripe 28 of adhesive is applied on the same surface along a lateral end edge 29 of the blank. On the reverse surface of the blank are further adhesive stripes 30 extending perpendicularly to stripe 28. Triangular spots of adhesive are also applied to the reverse surface at the corners of the panel 42. Longitudinal dash lines 32, 33 and transverse dash lines 36, '38 indicate lines of folding of the blank to form the enclosure for the book of matches 40 shown superimposed on the blank in the panel 42 defined between fold lines 32, 33, 36 and 38. A rectangular cutout or window 44 is formed in panel 42. Adjacent the panel 42 there are panels 43 and 45 terminating laterally at end edges 29 and 31 of the blank.

In FIGS. 2-4, the blank 20 is shown folded around the book of matches 40 completely enclosing and sealing the book of matches and forming an enclosure 41 therefor. The body of the enclosure assumes the tapered shape of the book of matches. Panel 43 of the blank overlies panel 45 and is secured thereto by adhesive stripe 28. The center of the long edge 23 of the blank is folded along line 33 and the corners 35 folded thereover and the folded portion overlies the top of the match book and is secured thereto by the adhesive stripe 26 and the adhesive on corners 35'. Tab 24 is free at the top of the package for opening the enclosure. The lower end of the enclosure 41, formed by overlaying the narrow rectangular panels 47-49 of the blank, is folded up and the corners inturned, and the folded lower ends secured by adhesive stripes 30 and spots 35. The window 44 is clearly shown in FIG. 4 exposing printed matter 50 on the front wall 52 of the match book. Positive securing and sealing of the panels may be by gluing, crimping of the material and by heat-sealing, or in any combination of such processes, and the ends may be flared, turned under or over or such ends may be diamond-folded.

FIG. 5 shows a modified form of enclosure 41 which is similar to the enclosure 41, except that tab 24 is omitted and instead a tab 24 is formed on the free edge of panel 43.

In FIG. 6, another modified form of blank 20 is shown which differs from the form of blank 20 in that the tab 24 is omitted and no window is formed in panel 42. A stripe 25 of adhesive is placed along the inner surface of panel 42 at its top adjacent edge 23. Furthermore, the material of the blank may be scored or perforated by a line of slots 57' extending from end to end of the blank spaced slightly inward of the fold line 33. A thin plastic strip 54 is secured to the inner surface of the blank over the scored line 57, with one end extending beyond end edge 29 forming "a finger piece 55 for tearing the strip. The strip 54 may, however, be used without the scoring line.

When the blank 20 is folded around the match book 40 along the fold lines, an enclosure 41 is provided as shown in FIG. 7, with the finger piece 55 exposed and free to grasp for tearing off the top of the enclosure, leaving the top 22 of the enclosure open as indicated at T a and best seen in FIG. 9. The match book 40 may readily be removed from the open enclosure and because of the tapered construction of the enclosure, the match book may just as readily be reinserted into the enclosure for protection when not in use. The opened enclosure will serve as a protective receptacle to shield the match book against moisture and mishandling and will prevent accidental opening of the match book. The enclosure 41 can also receive and protect the matches Without their protective walls 52.

In FIG. 10, the enclosure 41 is similar to enclosure 41* and is formed from a similar blank, except that strip 54 is replaced by a plastic strip 54, extending lengthwise around the enclosure. The free end 55 of the strip extends beyond the edge of the extension 25, for tearing open the enclosure. The panels 4345 may be scored with slits 57 to facilitate opening of the enclosure.

The shape of the blank can be modified from the gen-.

eral rectangular shape shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to conform the enclosure more exactly to the match book configuration depending on its length, width, and taper. Furthermore, the folding and sealing may be at the sides of the enclosure instead of at the top and bottom.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In combination, a match book folder and a sealed safety enclosure therefor, said match book folder comprising a wedge shaped book of matches including a unitary elongated strip of flexible material forming a front cover panel, a back cover panel connected by a top cover panel, said back cover panel having an upwardly projecting flap, a striking element for the matches along the outer surface of said flap, the front cover panel being of less length than the back cover panel and being adapted to be tucked removably behind said flap, said flexible panel forming a complete closure for the matches, a sealed reusable safety enclosure for said book of matches comprising a hollow wrapped-around body of thin sheet material, said sealed body having a front wall, superimposed sealed back wall, side walls and sealed flaps constituting the top Wall and sealed flaps constituting the bottom Wall, the front and back Walls tapering downwardly and inwardly, and a thin tear strip of flexible material having a free end extending outwardly from behind the overlapped back panel sections, said tear strip extending transversely about said sealed body adjacent the top thereof and in a plane parallel thereto and completely encircling said match book folder, for separating the portion of the body of the safety enclosure on one side of the strip from that portion on the other Side of the strip, the separated portion on the other side of the strip being wider at the open ends than at the closed end thereof for ready removal of the enclosed tapered book of matches therefrom and for reuse by reinserting the book of matches therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 893,551 Schmidt July 14, 1908 1,729,213 Ford Sept. 24, 1929 2,005,351 Rosenblatt June 18, 1935 2,218,691 Tindal Oct. 22, 1940 2,846,060 Yount Aug. 5, 1958 2,920,759 Carnes Jan. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 315,777 Switzerland Oct. 15, 1956 

